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Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the head of the Italian Bishops' Conference, led a prayer vigil on Thursday (Aug. 14), on the eve of the Feast of the Assumption, where he read the name of every child who has died in the conflict between Israel and Hamas since the start of the war in the Holy Land two years ago.

"We pronounce their names one by one," Zuppi said at the start of the vigil. "They ask us all to commit ourselves to finding or pursuing the path to peace with greater intelligence and passion, starting with a ceasefire and offering the conditions for doing so, from the release of hostages to not taking an entire people hostage."

Zuppi took turns with dozens of other members of his diocese reading the names and ages of the 16 Israeli children who died during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas and the 12,211 names of the Palestinian children who have died following Israel's occupation of Gaza up until July 25, 2025. The names of the Israeli children were taken from Israeli government data, while the names of the Palestinian children were compiled by the Gaza Ministry of Health. The document was 469 pages long, which took roughly seven hours to read, starting in the afternoon and going until late in the evening.

The prayer took place in the park of Monte Sole di Marzabotto, not far from Zuppi's diocese in Bologna. The location was highly symbolic, since the prayer occurred in the ruins of the Church of Casaglia, burned by Nazis, who between Sept. 29 and Oct. 5, 1944, destroyed the area and killed almost 800 people, including children.

"This is to remember, to pay attention, from this place which is a place of suffering and that has since always been a place to remember all victims," Zuppi said.

abotto near Bologna, Italy. (Video screen grab)

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Bologna — August 19, 2025Share on BlueskyShare on FacebookShare on TwitterEmail to a friendPrint
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the head of the Italian Bishops' Conference, led a prayer vigil on Thursday (Aug. 14), on the eve of the Feast of the Assumption, where he read the name of every child who has died in the conflict between Israel and Hamas since the start of the war in the Holy Land two years ago.

"We pronounce their names one by one," Zuppi said at the start of the vigil. "They ask us all to commit ourselves to finding or pursuing the path to peace with greater intelligence and passion, starting with a ceasefire and offering the conditions for doing so, from the release of hostages to not taking an entire people hostage."

Zuppi took turns with dozens of other members of his diocese reading the names and ages of the 16 Israeli children who died during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas and the 12,211 names of the Palestinian children who have died following Israel's occupation of Gaza up until July 25, 2025. The names of the Israeli children were taken from Israeli government data, while the names of the Palestinian children were compiled by the Gaza Ministry of Health. The document was 469 pages long, which took roughly seven hours to read, starting in the afternoon and going until late in the evening.

The prayer took place in the park of Monte Sole di Marzabotto, not far from Zuppi's diocese in Bologna. The location was highly symbolic, since the prayer occurred in the ruins of the Church of Casaglia, burned by Nazis, who between Sept. 29 and Oct. 5, 1944, destroyed the area and killed almost 800 people, including children.

"This is to remember, to pay attention, from this place which is a place of suffering and that has since always been a place to remember all victims," Zuppi said.


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The initiative was organized by the monastic community of the Small Family of the Annunciation, which cares for the ruins of the Nazi attack and preserves its memory. The School of Peace at Monte Sole is an institution committed to promoting peace and tolerance.

"It is an insistent prayer so that the war may cease, so that the weapons may fall silent, so that humanity may prevail," the cardinal said.

Zuppi was selected by Pope Francis to be his peace envoy in Ukraine, where he used his experience as a peace mediator to help in the exchange of hostages between Russia and Ukraine and in reuniting Ukrainian children with their families. During the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV, he was considered papabile, meaning a likely contender for the papacy.

Catholic leaders have been taking a strong stance against the war in Gaza in recent weeks as deaths escalate and the enclave faces starvation. The International Union of Superiors General, which brings together all the leaders of women's religious congregations, launched a day of fasting and prayer on Aug. 4, calling "for justice and reconciliation."

The Parish Priest of the only Catholic parish in Gaza, Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, in a video message on Aug. 14, said, "The situation continues to be very serious: there are bombings everywhere, and also deaths and destruction. The danger for the entire population causes great fear among civilians." The Holy Family Church in Gaza was bombed on July 13, killing two women who had taken refuge there.

The Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, commented on the growing death toll in Gaza during a Mass on Aug. 15 at the Benedictine Abbey of Abu Gosh, near Jerusalem. "The blood of the innocent in Gaza and the world is not forgotten," he said.

As Pope Leo XIV spoke to journalists upon his arrival to his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo on Aug. 13, he called for a ceasefire and an end to the violence.

"After all this time, what is the purpose of war? We must always seek dialogue, diplomatic efforts, not violence, not weapons," he said.

What baffles me is that Americans are not asking questions. Where they will protest or fight, you won't see them.
Man hiding under the guise of religion to commit ethnic cleansing no be today e start.

zeuss:
Idle person. Did he give a moment the remember the hostages still held by Hamas? Seek justice then peace will be secured.

These are children we’re talking about.

It’s an old war rule, women and children are not supposed to be killed in wars.

Israel knows the Hamas leadership and have been taking them out, they have no need carrying out such genocide on children.

Did they read oct 07 names? Nonsense.

You people were the ones that created Israel

SWATMan:
..

Yes.
I think the message is a plea for the war to end, and not a means to denigrate Israel. The so called list was prepared by the ministry of health in Gaza and by also mentioning the names of those murdered by Hamas in October 7th, it's clear that they also Indicted them for starting the carnage going on there. That's my humble opinion.

hostages? ? ?

Israel sacrificing humans lives to their alpha draconian god na their ritual be that .

Only we, Christians can do that.
No Muslim, even so-called radical Muslim cleric would care if all those kids who have been killed were Christians or of African religions.

Sheuns:
These are children we’re talking about.

It’s an old war rule, women and children are not supposed to be killed in wars.

Israel knows the Hamas leadership and have been taking them out, they have no need carrying out such genocide on children.

I am also talking about children taken as hostages by Hamas, hostages that are held in family homes with Palestinian children and mothers as their collaborative captors.
I would have respected the priest if he had began by condemning the terrorist act of October 7 perpetrated by Hamas and demanded for the release of the hostages by Hamas.
In the "first cry of let my people go", by the Israelites in the time of Moses.
All first born Egyptian children also died and yet the Egyptian king was hardened of heart just like Hamas.

zeuss:
I am also talking about children taking as hostages by Hamas, hostages that are held in family homes with Palestinian children and mothers as their collaborative captors.
I would have respected the priest if he had began by condemning the terrorist act of October 7 perpetrated by Hamas and demanded for the release of the hostages by Hamas.
In the "first cry of let my people go", by the Israelites in the time of Moses.
All first born Egyptian children also died and yet the Egyptian kind was hardened of heart just like Hamas.

Talk about children in Israeli jails too. They deserve your pity. As we dey talk of Hamas hostages, make we talk children held hostage in Israeli jails too. Only the unbiased truth can help in this matter.

Idaytesj29:
Talk about children in Israeli jails too. They deserve your pity. As we dey talk of Hamas hostages, make we talk children held hostage in Israeli jails too. Only the unbiased truth can help in this matter.

you are equating terrorist reasoning with civility. Those children in jail are terrorist who will gladly give their lives to kill others.
Look at you trying to justify what you know nothing about, do you know that the hamas operatives who is invaded Israel October 7 short and killed several black Africans who everybody knows are in Israel to end a living, but because this were Africans and Christians for that matter the Palestinians did not bother to take them for hostage they wasted them.
Here you are making excuses for animalistic behavior, these are wicked people with a wicked mindset. Just as it was in the time of Moses so it will be with benji.

zeuss:
you are equating terrorist reasoning with civility. Those children in jail are terrorist who will gladly give their lives to kill others.
Look at you trying to justify what you know nothing about, do you know that the hamas operatives who is invaded Israel October 7 short and killed several black Africans who everybody knows are in Israel to end a living, but because this were Africans and Christians for that matter the Palestinians did not bother to take them for hostage they wasted them.
Here you are making excuses for animalistic behavior, these are wicked people with a wicked mindset. Just as it was in the time of Moses so it will be with benji.

Children are not terrorist. Are you are father or mother? That little angel God gave you, imagine some people are calling them terrorist cos of your statements or actions. Would that be just or correct? These..toddlers that can't hurt a fly. They don't don't even understand what's going on, all they can do is cry and ask why. Don't be too hard on your self cos you wan to be a Jew wannabe. There is nothing wrong in that, but not at the expense of human life. Not even children.

And if you hold that position, it only means people with the same mindset as yours on the Palestinians sides are the ones responsible for kidnapping kids, so you shouldn't complain. It's terrorists kidnapping each other's kids and toddlers

Us..eless people everywhere.
What about the Israeli ones that are in Hamas tunnels

Excercise in futility...!!
After reading the fake names, he should as well tell hamas terrorist to release the israeli hostages they are holding both dead and alive..!!!


Nonesense...!!!

Idaytesj29:
Children are not terrorist. Are you are father or mother? That little angel God gave you, imagine some people are calling them terrorist cos of your statements or actions. Would that be just or correct? These..toddlers that can't hurt a fly. They don't don't even understand what's going on, all they can do is cry and ask why. Don't be too hard on your self cos you wan to be a Jew wannabe. There is nothing wrong in that, but not at the expense of human life. Not even children.

And if you hold that position, it only means people with the same mindset as yours on the Palestinians sides are the ones responsible for kidnapping kids, so you shouldn't complain. It's terrorists kidnapping each other's kids and toddlers

I am specifically referring to the so called children held in jail facilities.
You are obviously naive. It was not until I experienced it first hand in Jos that I realized that children 7-11 can be as blood thirsty as the most evil of men. One might argue that they are misguided, but until they are reorientated aright the danger they pose is more than even you can survive.
Btw it's better u advocate for the release of the hostages so the region can experience peace rather than reasoning with terrorist who use toddlers as human shields. Israel will never stop looking for its people they Will upturn every stone and demolish ever structure that may serve as hideout and hostage location putting toddlers into the mix will never weaken the resolve.

zeuss:
I am specifically referring to the so called children held in jail facilities.
You are obviously naive. It was not until I experienced it first hand in Jos that I realized that children 7-11 can be as blood thirsty as the most evil of men. One might argue that they are misguided, but until they are reorientated aright the danger they pose is more than even you can survive.
Btw it's better u advocate for the release of the hostages so the region can experience peace rather than reasoning with terrorist who use toddlers as human shields. Israel will never stop looking for its people they Will upturn every stone and demolish ever structure that may serve as hideout and hostage location putting toddlers into the mix will never weaken the resolve.

Children is children, its the occupation crisis that has taken their childhood away. No child should be in jail or kidnapped. It is a serious violation of human rights, a slap on humanity and an aberration.